Studies

Automobile Survey Results:

Vietnam, India, and Japan

2013/06/28

A High Percentage of Consumers in Vietnam and India are Planning to Purchase a Car in the Next Two Years

GMO Research, Inc. is a group company within the GMO Internet Group. We have recently conducted a multi-country study related to the needs and purchasing behavior of automobiles. GMO Research’s proprietary panel in Japan and in Vietnam and the panel of our strategic partner in India were used to conduct the study.

Study Specifications:

Target Audience: (Sample Size N=500/per country general consumers)
Study Period: (May 24th to May 31st 2013)
Study Method: Online Research
Study Areas: Vietnam, India, and Japan

Major Findings:

– More than 50% of the respondents in India and in Vietnam plan to purchase a car in the next two years
– The most popular reason for those in Vietnam to own a car is for leisure purposes
– Over 70% of potential car purchasers in India believe that Electric Vehicles (EVs) are the car of the future
– Design is the top deciding factor in Japan

Summary Findings:

GMO Research recently conducted a study on automobiles in Japan and two countries that are experiencing a rise in the automobile industry: India and Vietnam. Consumers in different countries have different needs when it comes to how and why a specific car model is selected and purchased. Survey results have made the difference vivid.

To begin with, the online study revealed that 40.0% of those in India and 21.9% of those in Vietnam own at least one automobile. However, based on national statistics, only 1.8% of the entire population of India and 1.3% in Vietnam own at least one automobile. In Japan, where the internet penetration is over 80%, 69.5% of respondents have a car, which is close to the actual national statistics that indicate that 59.1% of the population own at least one automobile. This goes to show that there is a correlation between online population and car ownership in Japan.

Reasons for selecting a specific automobile vary greatly between each country. In Japan, the main is design. This could possibly be due to the fact that road conditions in Japan are extremely good, and that the majority of workers do not commute to work by car. Therefore, price and performance may not be so important. In Vietnam, cost is a key factor, with 69.0% of the respondents answering that fuel consumption is a large decision factor when selecting an automobile. In India, on the other hand, 66.5% of the respondents selected performance and function.

India and Vietnam both show promising figures for car purchasing in the next two years. According to the survey results, 64% of those in India and 58.6% in Vietnam plan to purchase an automobile in the next 24 months. This is compared to only 12.5% in Japan. Consumers are also getting more environmentally conscious as a high percentage of respondents are considering a hybrid for their next purchase. The numbers were highest in Japan at 49.2% where there is the most of such automobiles to select from, followed by Vietnam (25.3%) and India (15.3%). Where environmental issues are still quite severe, more than 25% of potential car purchasers in Vietnam and India said that they would pay more for a car that is environmentally friendly versus one that is not.

Globally speaking, Japan and China are two of the top three automobile markets, and their pies are only expected to grow. In countries like India and Vietnam where less than 2% of the population have access to a car, the potential market is massive. Japan is leading the way in new technology like hybrid and electric vehicles, and it will be interesting to see these trends spread across Asia.

Results of this survey show different values and needs when it comes to the act of driving. Automobiles often reflect the owner’s lifestyle. A vehicle may simply be used for family transportation, while others use cars primarily for travel or leisure. The market is there but the needs and lifestyle of each country need to be well researched.

For More Information
E-Mail: gr-pd@gmo-research.jp
Phone: +81.3.5456.3244 (direct)
Contact: Nicholas Antram